Household appliance



Jan. 16, 1951 P. M. PETERSEN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE Filed April 20, 1948 INVINTOR Pete/ M. Petersen 4 ATQO'RNE Y the maintenance of floors.

Patented Jan. 16, 1951 2,538,654 HOUSEHOLD ArPLIANoE Peter M. Petersen, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to S. @Johnson & Son, Inc., Racine, Wis.

Application April 20, 1948, Serial No. 22,192

2 Claims. v1

This invention relates to improvements in household appliances. More particularly, invention relates to an improved applicator r `holder which may be used to mount any one of a select group of work elements adapted to be used for maintenance of'floors.

Various devices are now on the market for It is common practice Yfor a housewife to use a mop, brush, steel wool or 'wax applier in the care of floors. ,Several holders have been proposed into which interchangeable work elements such as .a mop, brush, or wax ap-plier may be positioned. However, diiic-ulty has been experienced in providing a holder into which an interchangeable ywork element may be easily positioned which will hold the work element securely when pressure isapplied when necessaryV for'efiioient mopping or scrubbing.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, yet eicient applicator or holder which comprises a resilient sheet material bent transversely to define an elongated central body portion having converging sides. These sides are provided with gripping portions adapted to hold securely an interchangeable member. The gripping portions of the sides are so positioned relative to the apex of the body portion that when pressure is exerted downward the transmission of pressure through the side members is in an inward direction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an applicator or holder into which a work element such as a mop, brush, steel wool or Wax applier pad may be easily but yet securely positioned.

Another object of my invention is to provide an applicator or holder adapted to securely hold a work element by the transmission of pressure to the side members in an inward direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an applicator or holder which may be manufactured and subsequently marketed at a minimum of expense to the ultimate consumer.

Additional objects, advantages and features of the invention `willfbe apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a preferred embodiment of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the representative work element in operating position.

Fig. 3 is a front plan View ofthe embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1.

the

angle of approximately 30.

Fig.. eis a perspective view of a work element ,as vrepresentative of the type used with the device illustrated `in Figures l, 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 .is :a perspective View of another preferred embodiment `of the device.

Fig.. 5 is a perspective view .of a work element asfrepresentative of the type used with device ,illustrated in Fig. 5.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring especially to Figl, it will be seen that the applicator, generally designated by the numeral I0, is composed of a transversely bent resilient sheet material I I and a handle I2 which projects from said bent sheet material II at an The position of the handle may be varied, but care should be taken that the handle is so afxed to the sheet material Il that the lexertion of downward pressure will cause the side members to converge.

When the raised portion I3 .of the representative work element, shown in Fig. 4, is positioned inside said resilient sheet material II in operating position, gripping portions Id of said sheet material II are forced to expand. The gripping portions I4 rit into the recesses I5 and hold the work piece securely. This expansion is due to the fact that the distance between recesses I5 of the work element is greater than the distance between said gripping portions !4 when in normal position.

In practice, pressure exacted by the user is transmitted through said handle I2 upon said resilient sheet material II, causing the converging sides of said material II, to compress said gripping portions Il! into said recesses i5.

Referring now to Fig. 5 illustrating another embodiment of the appliance, it will be seen that auxiliary converging sides I6 bend transversely from gripping portions I1.

The representative work element shown in Fig. 6 is placed into operating position by sliding raised portion I8 into the opening in bent resilient sheet material I9. The upper ridge 20 of said raised portion I8 contacts said sheet material I 9 so that said gripping portions I'! are forced t0 expand. The base 2| of said raised portion I8 is positioned within the inner periphery of said auxiliary converging sides i6. Said base 2i causes said auxiliary sides I6 to expand. Said sides I6, desiring to return to normal position, hold base 2| securely by resilient compression.

When operated, pressure exacted by the user through handle 2I, upon said resilient sheet Inaterial I9 and said auxiliary converging sides I6 causes a convergence of said gripping portions I'I into recesses 22, formed by the in-moving periphery of the work elements upper ridge 20 and the out-moving periphery of base 2|. Grip portions 23 of said auxiliary converging sides I6 converge tightly into recesses 24.

Thus, in accordance with my invention, I have provided an efficient household appliance which can be manufactured at a minimum of cost.

It will be apparent from the above that the device provides a multi-purpose household appliance adapted for many different uses, each characterized by convenience, simplicity, and avoidance of contact of the user with the Work element.

The workelements were shown as being representative and illustrative of the means by which such element is held fast. It can be readily seen that the character and utility of the working element may be highly variable. Whereas only a brush has been illustrated as a working element, it should be appreciated that steel wool or applicator pads, mops, etc. may be interchangeably employed as work elements.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that changes may be made in the construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described consisting cf a resilent sheet material bent transversely andA continuously in substantially cylindrical shape to deiine an elognated central body portion having a handle extending obliquely upwardly therefrom and converging sides, said sides having gripping portions adapted to hold securely an interchangeable member, the gripping portions of said sides being so positioned relative to the apex of said body portion so that when pressure is exerted downward upon said handle the transmission of said pressure through said side members is in an inward direction.

2. A device of the character described consisting of a resilient sheet material bent transversely and continuously in substantially cylindrical shape to dene an elongated central body portion having a handle extending obliquely upwardly therefrom and converging sides, said sides having gripping portions adapted to hold securely an interchangeable member, auxiliary convergingly bent, elognated sides stemming from said gripping portions, said auxiliary sides having gripping portions adapted to aid in holding securely an interchangeable member, the gripping portions of said sides and said auxiliary sides being vso positioned relative to the apex of said body Yportion so that when pressure is exerted downward upon said handle the transmission of pressure through said gripping portions is in an inward direction.

` PETER M. PETERSEN,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this partent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,290 Ball Feb. 7, 1865 204,537 Christey June 4, 1878 588,974 Frost et al Aug. 31, 1897 806,310 Zimmerman Dec. 5, 1905 1,303,439 VWilson May 13, 1919 1,556,568 Davis Oct. 6, 1925 2,150,686 Kraynick Mar. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 631,734 Germany June 26, 1936 44,792 Switzerland Oct. 20, 1908 61,378 Switzerland Oct. 8, 1912 

